France, July 15 -- Newly-anointed French prime minister Jean Castex on Wednesday placed the fight against unemployment as his government's priority for the remaining 18 months of Emmanuel Macron's term as president.

Castex, who replaced Edouard Philippe 12 days ago as Macron's most senior minister, told French MPs he wanted to instil a sense of solidarity in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 30,000 lives in France.

"My first ambition - and it is a big one - is to bring together the many different sides of France. To weld them together and if necessary reeled them together."

Castex unfurled his vision in the Assemblee nationale, a day after Macron pledged an additional 100 billion euros to help the economy ...